Missed A Hoss Saturday

[bamagtrdude]

repost from another site:

The reason why I love turkey hunting so much is it directly parallel's life... Sometimes, your best effort isn't good enough, and things don't turn out the way you work so hard for & plan it to be... There are times when things kick you in the crotch; that time was 6:30am this morning...

Since Wednesday, I'd been on a bird; not just a bird, but an old bird I've been hunting for several years... He was finally alone, with a group of 3 hens instead of with a subordinate gobbler in previous years... I did everything right in stalking this bird, including my setup this morning... I got into his bedroom, under full moon light, and got practically right underneath his roost tree, along with his hen... The hen flies down first, after a cackle, which he gobbles to immediately, like you always dream the script read, here he comes -- he walked right to my jake decoy & presented the perfect 25 yard shot... I never even issued a call all morning long, while this was unfolding before me...

I let loose the 1st LongBeard, and when I saw feathers fly everywhere, my excitement was in orbit -- that lasted all of .05 seconds b/c in that amount of time, now he's running full tilt, 10 yards in front of me, scampering away from "danger"... I shuck a 2nd round & completely whiff him this time... As he's gearing up for escape velocity, I lob a desperation round at him & then, he's gone... But he was flying awkwardly... For another moment, I thought - maybe I got him...

I searched for him for almost 1.5 hours, in the nastiest, thickest, soupiest, marshy swamp area we've got on our land... A half dozen times, my LaCrosse boots sunk so deep in the mud, the muck over-ran the top of my boots... My entire woodland camo BDU's were covered in mud, and several times I prayed, "God, help me! Pls show me where this bird is, if he's dead in here..."

But, I didn't find the gobbler... I can't be for certain, but this was one of the biggest gobblers I've ever had a chance at; his beard was dragging the ground, and he was a good'un... This season appears to be the hardest one I've ever been through, with only rare glimpses at taking a bird so far... As you can see by the picture, my gun is dead on at 25 yards; obviously, I missed the mark (rushed the shot, pulled, whatever you want to call it)...

Nick Saban has a "24 hour rule" on any win or loss; I'm giving this thing the 24 hour rule before I forget about it, and move on to the next challenge... This one didn't work out, but ... there will be others... I'm a determined hunter, and I'm not a quitter.

BGD

[Big Treble]

That sucks, but on the bright side (if there is one) you still have a tag

[bamagtrdude]

That sucks, but on the bright side (if there is one) you still have a tag

Yes I do! 

[kevin2]

Good story...

[Big Treble]

So BGD, you still on the team then?

[ScottS]

Maybe the old gobbler will forget about it too and give you another chance!!

[bamagtrdude]

Well, yes, I'm in but it won't matter much if I don't get a bird on the ground.  I've been back to that pasture, and now...  there's no sign of birds...  So, either a) I *DID* hit the bird & he died in the thick stuff, or b) they've moved off-property now (which is what happened to me last year when I got aggressive & busted the gobblers off their roost).

Wind out of my sails right about now...    Been hunting near about every single day since the start of the season, Mar 14th...

BGD

[Efey]

Sorry for your misfortune on this one. I hope you keep after them.

[bamagtrdude]

Sorry for your misfortune on this one. I hope you keep after them.

Awh ya, yesterday was my "pity party" and today I'm taking the day off...  I'll be back at it on Sat & Sun, and the rest of the season...  I'll admit; this was a big setback, expected to have this one "in the bag", but ...  life goes on & there's plenty of time left to get several birds...  Turkey season's taught me one thing throughout the years: gotta persevere & hang tough, it's not a sprint but a marathon...

BGD

[Bigeclipse]

Great story...the hunt sounded like it was crazy exciting...up until he took off. Sorry you didn't get your bird!!! Sounds like a similar situation that happened to me during deer season.  It was late season BOW here in NY. They just made crossbows legal for the last two weeks of regular bow season.  My father-in-law had one so my wife used it. Got herself a nice little buck. Well I went out the next day to a tree stand we never use and decided to bring the crossbow with me.  About 1 hour after sunrise...I here some cracking leaves to my left and out of the thickest stuff comes a giant 10 pointer. I mean, a giant!!! He was under me before I could get the crossbow up so I had no shot until he walked away a bit. Finally he is about 20 yards so I give him a quick grunt in hopes he would turn broad side...which he did!!! I have the crosshairs right on his boileroom...pull the trigger and NOTHING. Forgot to take the safety off.  Now, safety is jammed (when you squeeze the trigger with the safety on...it jams for whatever reason) and Im fiddling with it trying to get the dang safety off. He is standing there looking at me for a good solid minute and then finally takes off running and snorting.  I can say I went through every emotion a hunter could go through in about 5 minute span. shock, to anger, to disbelief, to whimpering, to almost crying back to anger and shock.  To this day...I quiver at the thought of the buck that once could have been! My only hope is he made it through the season and may be back next year.

[bamagtrdude]

Bigeclipse, YEP; it happens.    I know I "broke my routine" on this bird & should have just let him clobber my jake decoy & throw his big ole noggin up in the air & blasted his head off.  But, I didn't do that, and "paid the price".  Oh well; just gotta move on!  My fear, however, is that I didn't completely miss him; there's been no more sign in that pasture since that hunt, so either a) he's moved off property or b) I did clip him & he died in the thick stuff.

BGD

[Boom]

I just killed one today.  How do you get on these teams?

[Bigeclipse]

I just killed one today.  How do you get on these teams?

prior to the season you just join a team with openings or start your own. There is a limit.  I forget how many though but our team "was" full.  Some members may have left though.